Two persons were killed on Tuesday by gunmen at the popular Swali Market in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, the police said.
The incident occurred at about 4pm, throwing the market into confusion as traders and their customers ran for dear life.
Asinim Buswat, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Bayelsa Command, confirmed that four gunmen, armed with pistols, attacked one Raymond Agada in Swali, shooting him and dispossessing him of the sum of N120,000 he was going to deposit in a bank.
"Policemen were quickly dispatched to the scene and the victim was rushed to the hospital, where he later died,” he said, adding that the culprits had been identified and efforts intensified to arrest them.
Eyewitnesses said the hoodlums operated with sophisticated weapons and other dangerous objects.
One of the victims, perhaps Mr. Agada, who died on the spot was said to be carrying a large sum of money handed over to him by his brother to take to the bank.
To compound matters, thieves in the area capitalised on the mayhem and carted away items from shops in the market when their owners fled.
It was learnt that a team of policemen which arrived at the market following a phone call, however, arrested one of those suspects.
